Methods and devices for interactive exercising

ABSTRACT

A method for interactive exercising comprises performing punches to a target portion or throws of throwing implements to a target portion by an athlete and setting the exercising complexity. 
     Embodiments of the method and device for implementing thereof provide for simulating motions of a sparring partner by producing the target portion forced oscillations of various types: periodic, and/or damped, and/or aperiodic, and adjusting the target portion forced oscillation parameters, for displacing and swinging the target portion when any objects approaching the target portion are detected, and for adjusting the time of response to an approaching object.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to sports, and more particularly, to methods and devices for exercising in a variety of martial arts, such as boxing, karate, etc., and to exercises in other sports and gaming activities for which it is necessary to develop the force, the velocity, and the accuracy of punches or throws and to improve athletes reaction time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Exercising methods and devices for practicing boxing and other combat sports punches and throws of throwing implements are well known. When exercising, the punches or throws are delivered to a target which, predominantly, either remains in a single certain position, or swings in response to punches delivered by a trainee. Punching bags swinging when struck are the most common type of such target.

One major disadvantage of the known punch and throw exercising devices and methods is that they provide a level of interactivity lower than that when exercising with a real sparring partner, thus making the effect from the exercise insufficient. Indeed, boxing exercises with the use of punching bags enable developing the punching force; however, due to a weak response to the trainee's actions and almost completely predictable position of the target, such exercises does not enable to efficiently develop the athletes' speed performance, worse still, they may adversely affect such performance.

It should also be noted that the known methods for exercising with a real sparring partner also have significant disadvantages consisting primarily in that the exercises may not involve performing punches or throws at full capacity due to a substantial probability of inflicting injuries by doing so.

Accordingly, there is an urgent need for new interactive exercising methods and devices efficiently simulating the behavior of a real sparring partner.

It is known that, to provide a certain level of interactivity in exercising with the use of devices, either of the following techniques is usually employed (either separately or in combination): a) the target is equipped with sensors registering the impacts, with feedback from such sensors made available to the exercising athlete, b) mobility of the target is someway provided.

Thus, the first type of such devices is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,079 disclosing a kick-boxing exercise device that includes a base and a target section. Each target area includes a LED indicator. The device further includes an impact sensor and an electronic control unit. As described in the above patent, during exercising, the electronic control unit illuminates one of the LED indicators in accordance with a pre-programmed sequence, and the trainee delivers a punch into the corresponding area of the target section, after which the control unit illuminates the subsequent LED indicator as per the programmed sequence. However, for a user with an advanced skill level, the control unit will not illuminate the subsequent LED indicator until the impact sensor is actuated.

The device provided in the above patent and the exercising method described therein, while providing a certain level of interactivity, have the following disadvantages. One of them is insufficient variability in delivering the punches due to a limited number of the target section areas. Another one is insufficient efficiency of exercising with the use of the devices due to the lack of real motions of the target corresponding to the sparring partner motions used in martial arts, such as dodges, ducks, and fakes. Further still, the effect from exercising with such device, where used frequently, may even be negative, since habituation to responding to the switching of bright light stimulus instead of adequately responding to changes in the opponent's position may adversely affect the athletes' training. The negative effect may be caused by a gradual decrease in the athlete reaction time level to real displacements of an opponent.

Another known exercising device and method, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,403, are based on the employment of an inflatable punching bag disposed vertically on a base so as the punching bag may swing. Said swings of the punching bag, including pivoting back and forth, are enabled through coupling the bag to the base via a tube-like spring coil and occur in response to punches delivered by an athlete. By imparting motion to the punching bag when in contact with the athlete, a certain degree of the exercise interactivity is created; however, the punching bag motions are highly predictable to the athlete. The reason is the employment of a mechanical spring coil, since the punches delivered by the athlete, i.e. application of a disturbing force, puts the punching bag into a motion having the nature of a damped oscillation with a stable period and monotonically decreasing amplitude. The high predictability of the punching bag position at any time with such nature of its motion—which is essentially different from that of a real sparring partner's motion—is the cause of inadequate efficiency of exercises with the use of the known method.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,678,029 describes a punching device and an exercising method also based on the employment of an inflatable punching bag disposed on a base so as the bag may be swung via a coiled spring. The device further uses an electric motor retained in the base, the motor shaft being disposed vertically and mechanically coupled to said spring with the punching bag vertically secured on it. The device further comprises an impact sensor, light and sound indicators disposed at the punching bag. By employing the impact sensors and indicators in the described devices, as well as by enabling the punching bag to pivot about the vertical axis, the exercising interactivity degree is increased; however, the mechanical spring employed to provide oscillatory motion of the punching bag still results in a high predictability of the punching bag motion and is a cause of inadequate exercising efficiency.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,760 describes a movable goalie device to be used for creating a gaming activity in such sports as football or hockey. The device comprises a motor used to linearly displace an inflatable goalie structure along a track having a dedicated groove. The goalie structure is so displaced to simulate the actions of a ‘live person defending a goal’. The major disadvantages of the exercising device and method as described in the above patent are as follows: first, the described device does not include any means to detect the goalie structure's position on the track, thus making it impossible to uniquely set the goalie structure's position; second, nothing is provided in the device to enable adjustment of the ‘goalie’ response time; third, no means are provided to enable determining whether the ‘goalie’ has succeeded to defend the goal, i.e. whether or not the throwing implement (e.g., a ball or a hockey puck) hits the goalie structure, thus making it impossible to somehow provide a feedback connection between the device and the trainee's actions. These disadvantages of the known device prevent it from accomplishing its objective to simulate the actions of a real goalie with adequate efficiency and make the efficiency of exercising with the device relatively low.

Prior art closest to the technique according to a first embodiment of the claimed exercising method is the exercising method employed when practicing with a programmable sparring partner described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,877. Therein, interactivity of exercises is provided by using a combination of a target article motions and employment of an impact sensor. The device comprises a support structure, a motion control support member with a target article on which a boxing bag is fastened, an electric drive (drive means) coupled with the target article and enabling its vertical and horizontal motions. The boxing bag has an impact sensor connected to the device control panel. The control panel enables setting a level of exercising complexity by setting a certain motion speed of the target article with the boxing bag and provides information on the number of punches and the total score to the user.

The device provided in the patent and the sequence of exercises described therein, while enabling to simulate, to some extent, a training session with a real sparring partner, have major disadvantages.

First, the described training session sequence according to which the boxing bag is moving with a certain speed, the user delivers punches and is presented with an output in the form of the number and force of accurate punches does not provide an adequate level of exercising interactivity and efficiency, since the device lacks the capability of randomly setting the target (boxing bag) position. The capability provided by the device to set the boxing bag horizontal motion speed is most inadequate to efficiently simulate the motions of a sparring partner, since what is vital to accomplish this is a capability of setting, with enough quickness and accuracy, a variety of the target positions, such as a primary (central) position, or positions corresponding to the sparring partner's swings to the left or to the right with a predetermined swinging amplitude, subsequent return to the primary (central) position, etc. Therefore, in the absence of any technical means for uniquely setting the target (boxing bag) position, interactive capabilities of the device are significantly reduced and the exercising efficiency is inadequate.

Second, to simulate practicing with sparring partners with different speed performance levels or various motion and combating styles, also important is the capability to adjust the target motions between positions with variable dynamic properties, such as acceleration and deceleration. The described device does not provide such capability, thus also reducing the exercise interactivity level and efficiency.

Third, the described exercising device and method do not provide adequate quality in simulating motions of a real sparring partner, since the motion control support member moves horizontally only along a certain, mechanically determined (by a specifically shaped groove), track. Such lack of capability for the target to move in a random direction also significantly reduces the exercise interactivity level and efficiency.

Prior art closest to the spirit of the present exercising method in its second embodiment is an exercising method employed when practicing with the devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,095. When using the known technique, exercising interactivity is accomplished through displacements, provided by a lower servomotor and an upper servomotor, i.e., swinging of a target portion disposed on a rocking bar in response to remote detection of approaching external objects by sensors disposed in the target portion and through determining, via an available control unit, the position, movement direction, and speed of the external objects.

One disadvantage of the exercising method described in the known patent is its inadequate efficiency due to not sufficiently accurate simulation of practicing with a real sparring partner, as the speed of the described system's response to approaching external objects, specifically—the time span between the appearance of the objects approaching the target and the target motion remains the same throughout the exercising session in contrast to practicing with a real opponent, which is characterized by a variable time of his response. Such variability of the response time is due to both the difference in inborne qualities of different opponents and current changes in the opponent's condition; the response time also largely depends on the level of fatigue and variations in the degree of psychological concentration in the course of a training session or a sports fight. It is also known that, in combat sports, such as boxing, the response time of an athlete may substantially increase after punches got from the opponent.

Prior art closest to the first and second embodiments of the present device for interactive exercising is a device described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,095. Let us review the prior art device in greater detail. The device comprises an upper servomotor and a lower servomotor both of which are vertically assembled, a vertically disposed rocking bar with a target portion mounted on its top, and a control unit to control the servomotors.

Therein, the lower servomotor turning shaft is vertically oriented, with a support disposed horizontally at the top of this servomotor's turning shaft, at which the upper servomotor is secured. The upper servomotor's turning shaft is disposed in a horizontal plane. The rocking bar with the target portion is mechanically coupled directly to the upper servomotor's turning shaft. Thus, the lower servomotor rotates the vertically disposed rocking bar with the target portion about the vertical axis, and the upper servomotor provides the rocking bar swinging motions. One important feature of the devices is that the target portion has sensors inside it to detect a ‘position, movement direction, and speed of the external objects’.

When exercising with the device, the user throws the external objects at the target portion or delivers punches to the target portion, the sensors detect the external objects' position, movement direction, and speed, and then the control unit, via the servomotors, displaces the target portion such as to avoid the external objects hitting it.

The described device and the sequence of exercising with it may potentially provide a quite high level of interactivity, as the objective of the device is providing a system with a behavior similar to that of a real sparring partner.

However, the described device has the following disadvantages.

First, the level of exercising interactivity and efficiency is not sufficiently high due to the absence of any technical means to provide feedback to the user based on his/her target hitting performance.

Second, the known device does not simulate a practice with a real sparring partner or opponent with sufficient accuracy, since the target portion is only movable in response to detection of approaching external objects and determination of their motion characteristics. Nevertheless, when practicing with a real sparring partner, of great importance are the motions done by the partner even if the opponent does not deliver any real punches for a time, i.e. the so called fakes.

Third, the known device is not designed such as to provide for the target potion displacement to a random position along the shortest path. Servomotor and rocking bar arrangement and, especially, the vertical disposition of the lower servomotor turning shaft in the known device does not allow immediately initiating the target portion motion towards an arbitrarily given direction in response to a command from the control unit. If a command to move the target portion to a certain direction is received from the control unit when the rocking bar is in the true vertical position, first the lower servomotor turning shaft will have to be rotated with respect to the vertical axis to a certain angle before it will be possible to swing the rocking bar with the target portion to the required direction using the upper servomotor. If the command to move the target portion to a certain direction is received from the control unit when the rocking bar is in a random position, then the rocking bar may have to be first returned to the vertical position by the upper servomotor, then the lower servomotor turning shaft will have to be rotated to the necessary angle followed by swinging the rocking bar to the required direction using the upper servomotor. This feature of the known device significantly delays the target portion displacement and substantially limits the device's capabilities, thus reducing the exercise interactivity level.

Fourthly, another disadvantage of the known device, which adversely affects the simulation of practicing with a real sparring partner, thus reducing the exercising efficiency, and which is also caused by the device's key structural features, is that the target portion displacements back and forth with respect to the trainee inevitably cause the target portion to turn its lateral side to the trainee. Back and forth displacements of the target portion with respect to the trainee during combat sports, including boxing, exercise sessions are needed to practice hooks. To simulate defensive actions of a real sparring partner, when delivering hooks to the target portion, the latter has to be displaced backwards with respect to the trainee. In the known device, however, such displacement of the target portion requires the lower servomotor turning shaft to make a prior turn of 90 degrees (or −90 degrees) before the rocking bar is swung with the use of the upper servomotor. The resulting target portion turn sideways towards the trainee may not be acceptable for at least two reasons. For example, it is inacceptable for simulating the motions of a real sparring partner, if the target portion is configured as a non-axisymmetric figure, such as a figure simulating that of a real opponent. Furthermore, even with an axisymmetric configuration of the target portion, such turns of the latter with respect to the trainee substantially restrict the potential for use of any sensors, such as indicating lights, disposed on the target portion. Specifically, it significantly complicates the use of sensors determining the force and direction of punches delivered towards the target portion (the known device does not have such capability). Further still, the described target portion's turning actions also rather complicate the use of the sensors described in the prior art device as disposed on the target portion to early detect the approaching objects and to determine their motion characteristics.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In a first embodiment of the method for interactive exercising, the invention is aimed at accomplishing the technical result of improving the exercising efficiency through a closer simulation of practicing with a real sparring partner due to a higher degree of unpredictability of a target portion motion for a trainee.

Said technical result with respect to the first embodiment of the method is accomplished by that, in the method for interactive exercising, comprising:

performing punches to a target portion or throws of throwing implements to a target portion by an athlete,

producing forced oscillation of the target portion by setting the target portion in motion via at least one drive,

determining whether the target portion is hit via at least one sensor,

according to the invention, forced oscillations of the target portion are produced in the form of a sequence of forced oscillations of various kinds: periodic, and/or damped, and/or aperiodic, the mode of the target portion oscillations being adjusted immediately during an exercising session by varying the oscillation parameters: period, and/or amplitude, and/or damping factor, and/or central position about which the oscillations are produced.

The described exercising method embodiment may be elaborated and supplemented in several ways.

One possible supplement is that said variations of said target portion oscillation parameters are done randomly or pseudo-randomly, i.e. the target portion oscillations are randomized.

The described exercising method may further be supplemented in that said target portion oscillation parameters are varied subject to the target portion hit detection results, and more specifically, in response to detecting more frequent target portion hits, the average oscillation period is reduced, and/or average amplitudes are increased, and/or central position variations are increased, while in response to detecting rarer target portion hits, the average oscillation period is increased, and/or average amplitudes are reduced, and or central position variations are reduced, respectively.

The described exercising method may further be supplemented in that the target portion is forced to oscillate independently left/right and back/forth with respect to the trainee, thus providing a pattern of target portion motions as a superposition of its motions in those directions and, thereby providing the target portion mobility in a random direction and via a random path.

The described exercising method embodiment may be elaborated in that the target portion forced oscillation sequence is generated and their parameters are varied programmably.

Furthermore, the described exercising method embodiment may be elaborated in that the target portion forced oscillation sequence generation is controlled by a trainee's sparring partner via a remote control, a manipulator or some input device.

Further still, the described exercising method may be supplemented in that the target portion forced oscillation sequence is generated and their parameters are varied by simulating the trainee's sparring partner trunk motion whose position is detected by sensors.

It should be noted that, in contrast to the first exercising method embodiment of the present invention based on the use of the target portion motions simulating so called ‘fakes’ performed by an opponent, which by no means are always a unique response to the sparring partner's actions (i.e. his/her punching attempts) and may be performed in a proactive manner, in a second exercising method embodiment of the present invention, the target portion motions are performed in response to moving objects, e.g. the trainee's boxing gloves, approaching the target portion.

In a second embodiment of the method for interactive exercising, the invention is also aimed at accomplishing the technical result of improving the exercising efficiency through a closer simulation of practicing with a real opponent.

Said technical result with respect to the second embodiment of the method is accomplished by that, in the method for interactive exercising, comprising:

performing punches to a target portion or throws of throwing implements to a target portion by an athlete,

detecting moving objects approaching the target portion by at least one available sensor,

displacing or swinging the target portion by at least one available drive,

according to the invention, exercising complexity is set by adjusting the system response time via adjustment of the target portion displacement dynamic characteristics and/or the time delay between detection of an object approaching the target portion and commencement of the target portion displacement.

The described second embodiment of the present exercising method may also be elaborated and supplemented in several ways.

Thus, this embodiment of the present method may be elaborated in that, when any objects approaching the target portion are detected, positional relationship of the moving objects and the target portion is determined, said displacement of the target portion being performed such that it fully or partially avoids the moving objects.

Another elaboration of the present method consists in that, when any objects approaching the target portion are detected, movement path of the objects is estimated, said displacement of the target portion being done towards the estimated movement path of the objects.

The present embodiment of the method may further be supplemented in that said adjustment of the system response time is done randomly or pseudo-randomly immediately during an exercising session, thus making the target portion motion pattern more randomized.

The present method for interactive exercising may be still further supplemented in that said adjustment of the system response time includes simulation of the opponent fatigue build-up and/or recuperation by respectively extending and/or reducing the average system response time.

It should be noted that the present embodiments of the method for interactive exercising may be implemented employing a variety of the target portion mechanical motion types. This may include the employment of the target portion translatory motion, target portion rotational motion, or a combination of the translatory and rotational motions. As such, the present exercising method may provide the basis for a variety of devices substantially distinct in design, primarily—in the design of their mechanical drive used to set the target portion in motion.

The easiest to implement target portion motion types include the target portion rotational motion performed when swinging a movable article with the target portion disposed at one end thereof. It is the target motion implementation type being the basis for two embodiments of a device for interactive exercising of the present invention, with which the methods for interactive exercising of the present invention may be implemented.

In a first embodiment of a device for interactive exercising, the invention is aimed at accomplishing the technical result of improving the exercising efficiency through increasing the degree of the target portion motion unpredictability for a trainee, thus providing a closer simulation of practicing with a real sparring partner.

In the first embodiment of the claimed device, said technical result is accomplished by employing either one or two or more motors providing one, two or more degrees of the target portion displacement freedom.

In the first embodiment of the present device, said technical result is accomplished by that the device for interactive exercising, comprising:

a base,

a motor mounted on the base,

a movable article, mechanically coupled to the motor shaft, swingingly mounted and having, secured at its one side, a target portion to be punched or thrown at,

a target portion position sensing means,

a control unit connected to the target portion position sensing means and to the motor,

according to the invention, has the following connected to the control unit:

a target portion impact sensor,

a device for exercising mode input, including its complexity setting,

an exercise result display means,

wherein the control unit comprises a movable article swinging angle setting generation module to generate a sequence of periodic, damped or aperiodic signals, configured to adjust the frequency of such signal repetition, signal oscillation period and amplitude, and their damping rate.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the device for interactive exercising may be supplemented in several ways.

Thus, the control unit may further be connected to an output of the movable article swinging angle setting generation module via a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller having its feedback input connected to the target portion position sensing means.

The device control unit may further have a module for adjusting the device's dynamic characteristics, including its bandwidth, and/or control circuit response time, and/or acceleration range, and/or movable article rotational motion speed.

The device may further include a target portion approaching object detector connected to an additional input at the control unit, the device control unit being configured such as to estimate the positional relationship between said objects and the target portion and to generate the movable article swinging angle setting signals so as to provide for the target portion to fully or partially avoid being hit by the detected moving objects by varying the system response time.

The device may further include a target portion approaching object detector connected to an additional input at the control unit, the device control unit being configured such as to estimate said objects' movement path with respect to the target portion and to generate the movable article swinging angle setting signals such as to provide for the target portion displacement towards the objects' estimated path.

Still further supplement to the device may be that it is configured so as to provide for the target portion vertical displacement by configuring the movable article from two portions longitudinally displaceable with respect to each other, one portion of the movable article being coupled to the base and the other portion of the movable article having the target portion disposed on it, an additional motor being disposed on the device base and coupled, via a mechanical transmission, to the movable article portion on which the target portion is secured, the device control unit further including a module for generating signals to set the amount of displacement of the movable article's two portions with respect to each other, and the control unit power module including an additional output connected to said additional motor.

The device may further include a discrete or analogous input device with an output connected to an additional input of the control unit, the device control unit providing for movable article swinging angle setting signal generation in function of the input device control member position.

The device may still further include a means for detecting the trainee's sparring partner position or his/her trunk swings, e.g. a video camera with appropriate hardware and software, the control unit being configured such as to provide movable article swinging angle setting signal generation in function of the trainee's sparring partner position or his/her trunk swings.

A second embodiment of the present device for interactive exercising is based on that two or more motors are employed in the device to move the target portion.

In the second embodiment of the device for interactive exercising, the invention is also aimed at accomplishing the technical result of improving the exercising efficiency through a closer simulation of practicing with a real sparring partner.

Said technical result with respect to the second embodiment of the present device is accomplished by that, in a device for interactive exercising, comprising: a fixedly mounted first motor, a movable base mechanically coupled to the first motor shaft, a second motor mounted on the movable base, a movable article mechanically coupled to the second motor shaft, swingingly mounted and having, secured at its one side, a target portion to be punched or thrown at, a target portion position sensing means, a control unit connected to the target portion position sensing means, and to both the first and the second motors,

according to the invention, said movable base is disposed on a horizontal or slant axle, each of the mechanical coupling between the movable base and the first motor shaft and mechanical coupling between the movable article and the second motor shaft is provided either directly, or via a mechanical transmission.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the device for interactive exercising may also be supplemented in several ways.

As such, the device may further have the following connected to the control unit: an impact sensor disposed on the target portion or movable article, a device for exercising mode input, including its complexity setting, an exercise result display means.

Still further supplement to the device may be that it is configured so as to provide for the target portion vertical displacement by configuring the movable article from two portions longitudinally displaceable with respect to each other, one portion of the movable article being coupled to the movable base and the other portion of the movable article having the target portion disposed on it, an additional motor being disposed on the movable base and having its shaft coupled, via a mechanical transmission, to the movable article portion on which the target portion is secured, and the control unit having a target portion vertical displacement control module with an outlet for connecting an additional motor.

The device may further include a target portion approaching object detector connected to the control unit, the control unit being configured such as to estimate the positional relationship between said objects and the target portion and to control the target portion motion so as to provide for the target portion to fully or partially avoid being hit by the detected moving objects.

Further still, where the device control unit is furnished with a target portion approaching object detector, the device control unit may be configured such as to determine the objects' velocity vector direction and to classify the direction as either direct or lateral with respect to the target portion's current position, the target portion being displaced preferably backwards with respect to the trainee, where the direction is determined to be lateral.

Where the device control unit is furnished with a target portion approaching object detector, the device may be further advanced in that the device control unit may be configured such as to estimate said objects' movement path with respect to the target portion and to move the target portion so as to provide for the target portion displacement towards the objects' estimated path.

Further supplement to the present device is that it may further include a discrete or analogous input device connected to the control unit, the device control unit being configured such as to generate the first and second motor control signals so as to provide for the target portion displacement in function of the input device control member position.

Another supplement to the present device is that it may further include a means connected to the control unit for detecting the trainee's sparring partner trunk swings or his/her position, the control unit being configured such as to generate the first and second motor control signals so as to provide for the target portion displacement in function of the trainee's sparring partner trunk swings and/or his/her position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a device for implementing the proposed embodiments of a method for interactive exercising.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a control unit according to the first embodiment of the present device.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a control unit according to the first embodiment of the device with supplements.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show example diagrams of the target portion forced oscillation sequences used to implement the first embodiment of the method for interactive exercising.

FIG. 6 shows example diagrams illustrating how the device response time is adjusted in the second embodiment of the method for interactive exercising.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a second embodiment of a device for implementing the proposed embodiments of a method for interactive exercising.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a control unit according to the second embodiment of the present device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A possible implementation of a first embodiment of a device for the embodiments of a method for interactive exercising of the present invention may be as follows.

The device comprises: a base 1 (FIG. 1) having mounted on it an electric motor 2 and a movable article 3 with a target portion 4 secured at the movable article upper portion, the target portion being configured as a boxing bag in this implementation of the device. The movable article 3 is coupled to the base 1 via an axle 5 mounted on the base, e.g. with the use of bearings (not shown). Electric motor 2 shaft 6 is mechanically coupled to the movable article 3 via a belt transmission comprised of a pulley 7 disposed on the electric motor shaft 6, a drive belt 8, and a pulley 9 disposed on the movable article 3 axle 5. As such, the movable article 3 and the electric motor 2 arranged on the base 1 as shown in FIG. 1 enable swinging of the movable article 3 about its vertical position when the electric motor 2 shaft 6 is being rotated. The device as shown in FIG. 1 is controlled via multiple means. As such, the device comprises a target portion position sensing means which, in this implementation, is configured as a swinging angle sensor (encoder) 10 having its shaft mechanically coupled to the axle 5, which senses the movable article 3 swinging angle and is connected to the device control unit 11. The device further includes an impact sensor 12 to detect the punches delivered to the target portion, which is also connected to the control unit 11. Such means may be configured as a sensor from among a variety of types, e.g. a strain gauge or an accelerometer. In this implementation, the device further includes the following connected to the control unit 11: an exercising mode input device 13 configured, for example, as a keyboard, an exercise result display means 14 configured as a display, and a sound reproduction means 15. In addition to displaying the exercise results, the display 14 may also be employed in the device to display the current exercising modes, tasks assigned to the user, current exercising performance indicators, such as the number and force of the punches that hit the target portion, exercising duration, and other parameters. The sound reproduction means 15 may be used to give voice prompting to the user, e.g. to vocalize the current tasks and the force of the punches that hit the target portion.

The control unit 11 comprises an exercising program control module 16 (FIG. 2) with the following connected to it: impact sensor 12, input means 13, display 14, and sound reproduction means 15. The exercising program control module 16 output is connected to an input of a swinging angle setting generation module 17 of the movable article 3 having its output connected to an input of a proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID controller) 18. The PID controller 18 feedback input receives the swinging angle sensor (encoder) 10 signal.

The PID controller is employed in the device optionally; however, as is known, by providing a PID controller in a feedback control system and by optimally configuring the controller, transient behavior of such control system may be significantly improved, thus making the motion pattern of the object, i.e. the movable article 3 and the target portion 4 secured thereon, as much as possible closer to the control signal shape.

PID controller 18 output is connected to an input of a power module 19 having its output connected to the electric motor 2. The power module as employed in the device may be configured as any electric motor driver designed to control a motor of the employed type and having a sufficient capacity.

The device control unit 11 may be configured either as a hardware module, or a hardware and software suite comprising, in addition to specialist hardware, a computer furnished with necessary software and an interface of any known type (e.g. a USB interface) for connection to the device hardware.

A key aspect of the first embodiment of the present device aimed at accomplishing the technical result of the invention is that the control unit 11 includes the movable article swinging angle setting generation module 17 configured such that it generates a sequence of periodic, damped or aperiodic signals, while enabling adjustment of the frequency of such signal repetition, signal oscillation period and amplitude, and their damping rate. The module 17 may be configured as a hardware module, a software unit, or as a combination thereof.

Possible supplements to the first embodiments of the present device are schematically shown in FIG. 3. One of the supplements is a module 20 for adjusting the device's dynamic characteristics connected to an output of the movable article swinging angle setting generation module 17, the module 20 control input being connected to the exercising program control module 16. The module 20 is configured such that, in response to commands received at its control input from the module 16, the bandwidth for the signal received from the module 20 at the PID controller 18 input, is varied. Furthermore, the module 20 may, in response to commands from the control module 16, introduce an additional adjustable delay of signals received at its input.

FIG. 3 also shows a video camera 21 connected to the control module 11 and functioning, in combination with necessary hardware and software provided in the control unit 11, as a means for detecting objects approaching the target portion. It should be noted that said means for detecting external objects (e.g., video camera 21) may be mounted either directly on the movable target portion 4, or outside it. In the latter, if said means (e.g. a video camera) is fixedly mounted, the external object detection function may be made much easier and reliable, since, if this is the case, no displacement of the background or background objects within the detection means coverage area occurs.

A remote control (manipulator) 22 also connected to the control unit 11 exercising program control module 16 is shown in FIG. 3 as another possible supplement to the device.

The claimed method for interactive exercising (its embodiments) may be implemented in practice with the first embodiment of the device for interactive exercising as follows.

Implementation of the methods for interactive exercising will now be reviewed with reference to boxing; however, as noted above, the claimed embodiments of the exercising method and device may be used to practice other martial arts, such as karate, kickboxing, and a variety of gaming activities.

Where the first embodiment of the method for interactive exercising is implemented, an athlete is positioned in front of the device and attempts to deliver punches to the target portion employing various types of punches and combinations thereof. The device control unit 11 (FIG. 1) sets the target portion 4 in motion by issuing to the electric motor 2 a signal generated by the movable article swinging angle setting signal generation module 17 (FIG. 2). The control unit 11 controls the target portion 4 position and whether the position correlates with the setting signal via the swinging angle sensor (encoder) 10, i.e. the sensor is used to provide feedback as necessary. To provide the best correlation of the target portion position with the setting signal at any time, feedback communication with the sensor 10 in the device may be provided via an appropriately configured PID controller which is known to be commonly used in control systems to provide high accuracy and quality of transients.

To simulate a real sparring partner motions, the movable article swinging angle setting generation module 17 (FIG. 2) generates a sequence of periodic signals (for example—Curve 23 in FIG. 4), damped signals (for example—Curve 24), or aperiodic signals (Curve 25 is an example aperiodic signal with a low damping factor, Curve 26 is an example aperiodic signal with a high damping factor). Therein, the generation module 17 enables adjusting the frequency of such signal repetition, their oscillation period and amplitude, the central position about which the oscillatory motion occurs, the oscillation damping rate, i.e. their damping factor. The signals may have either harmonic, or non-harmonic form. An example sequence of oscillations with their repetition frequency, amplitude, central position and damping factor being adjusted is given in FIG. 5 (Curve 27), showing how the angle of the movable article deviation from its central position varies over time when its oscillatory motions occur.

Efficiency of the trainee's actions is evaluated and exercising progress statistics are collected using the impact sensor 12 capable of both recording the number of punches and determining the force of each punch hitting the target portion.

A key aspect of the claimed exercising method in its first embodiment is that the target portion oscillation characteristics (parameters), such as its oscillation period, amplitude, damping factor, and the central position about which the oscillations are produced, are varied immediately when the exercises are being performed.

Target portion motions in the form of the described sequence of oscillations are used in the first embodiment of the present exercising method to simulate motions of an opponent due to the fact that motions of a real sparring partner in the course of a boxing or other martial arts fight follow a number of patterns. First, for a certain amount of time, a real sparring partner remains in the primary (central) position, i.e. in the so called basic stance, rather than changing it. Second, the real sparring partner, at a certain frequency or at irregular intervals of time, performs motions simulating dodges. Such motions may be performed in succession, interrupted for certain intervals of time and then resumed, their amplitude, succession rate and speed being substantially varied by the athlete. Third, the athlete may, from time to time, change its primary (central) position about which he/she does his/her motions. The athlete does all these actions to make his/her position as much as possibly unpredictable for the opponent, thus making it maximally difficult for the opponent to deliver accurate punches.

The target portion motion pattern provided by the first embodiment of the present exercising method is based on an adequately true simulation of a real athlete's motions as it takes into account the above patterns, the higher similarity to a real athlete's actions being what improves the exercising efficiency and, thereby, provides for accomplishing the technical result of the invention. A further technical result of the invention accomplished through implementing the first embodiment of the present exercising method is a huge variability of the target portion motion pattern provided by the possibility to create virtually any timing diagram of the setting signal and, thereby, any pattern of the target portion motion.

The described embodiment of the method for interactive exercising is implemented using sequences of signals of the above types and adjusting their characteristics in a wide range. As such, the signal repetition interval was established to be from 0.3 to 3.0 seconds, the damping time—from 0.5 to 2.0 seconds, the movable article swinging angle amplitude—from −35 to +35 degrees, the movable article central position angular displacement—from −25 to +25 degrees. Testing demonstrated that the possibility to adjust the control signal characteristics in the course of exercising session in such a wide range allows simulating, with an adequate accuracy, the variable pattern of real sparring partners' motions and achieving a substantial unpredictability of such motions, thereby significantly improving the exercising efficiency.

It is just as important that variations in the target portion oscillation parameters, as well as the real sparring partner's motions may be both regular, i.e. recurring at certain intervals, and randomized, i.e. the oscillation characteristics may be varied randomly or pseudo-randomly. Such randomization of the target portion oscillations makes exercising more complex and makes the target portion motion pattern closer to the motion of a real opponent.

Adjustment of the target portion oscillation parameters may further include implementation of an efficient feedback to the athlete's actions based on evaluation of current exercising performance. To provide such feedback, use is made of data received by the exercising program control module 16 from the impact sensor 12. As such, where a relatively large number of the target portion hits is detected, i.e. where, with current parameters of the target portion oscillation, the exercising mode is too simple for an athelete, the exercising program control module 16 may reduce the average oscillation period, increase the average amplitude and amount of the central position variation. Where a relatively small number of target portion hits is detected, i.e. where, with current parameters of the target portion oscillation, the exercising mode is too complex for the athlete, the exercising program control module 16 may instead increase the average oscillation period and reduce the average amplitude and amount of the central position variation. Therein, the module 16 may further vary the target portion oscillation damping factor, but, unlike the other parameters, variation of this parameter does not directly govern the exercising complexity, having instead a greater effect on the perceived target motion pattern or ‘style’ and substantially diversifying the exercising session nature.

It should also be noted that implementation of the present exercising method may include generation of the movable article swinging angle setting both programmably, such as by reading a setting signal previously stored in the angle setting generation module 17 memory (including a signal with a pseudo-random law of variation), and by making use of the capability to control the target portion oscillation pattern via a remote control (manipulator) 22 (FIG. 3) connected to the exercising program control module 16. Where the manipulator is used, generation of the target portion oscillations is controlled by the trainee's sparring partner, herein acting as an operator, and the manipulator may, for example, be a computer joystick. When implementing the present method, displacements of the control member via the manipulator may be done to directly control the target portion position, as well as to vary characteristics of the oscillation signals generated by the control module. A further technical advantage of using the manipulator to implement the exercising method is the possibility to not only practice the punching techniques, but also the possibility for athletes to practice the most efficient defense tactics when performing dodges.

The same further advantage in exercising the present method, i.e. the possibility to efficiently practice defenses, may be increased by employing a supplementary means in the present device to detect the trainee's sparring partner position or his/her trunk swinging angle. Such means may be a video camera covering the area where the trainee's sparring partner is located; therein, the device control unit is to be furnished with necessary software. Said means may also be configured as a sensor measuring the swinging angle in relation to horizon, for example, a gyroscope transmitter, or an accelerometer, or a combination thereof (not shown), such sensor being fixed at the trainee's sparring partner's trunk, e.g. with a belt. Where such means is employed in the device for interactive exercising, the target portion forced oscillation sequence is generated taking into account said position and/or swing of the trainee's sparring partner trunk, i.e. the upper portion of his/her body.

A training session with the use of such means is carried out as follows: one athlete delivers punches to the target portion, while his/her sparring partner closely monitors his/her actions staying somewhat away from the punching movement path and performing dodging actions. The exercising program control module 16 receives information on the second athlete's actions and then generates a movable article swinging angle setting signal to generate a sequence of the target portion forced oscillations based on the information. Therein, the exercising method may be implemented either such that the target portion motion will directly simulate the second athlete's motion, or such that the target portion will oscillate even in the absence of the second athlete's motions, the oscillation parameters being modulated according to the athlete's motions. An exercising mode combining the two capabilities may also be provided for.

A second embodiment of the present method may be implemented using the present device configured with said supplement in the form of a means, connected to the device control unit's additional input, for detecting objects approaching the target portion.

The second embodiment of the present method will now be described with reference to an example where a boxing exercise session is carried out using an external object detection means configured as a video camera 21 (FIG. 3) connected to an exercising program control module 16 which may comprise a computer furnished with necessary software.

The exercising session is carried out as follows. An athlete attempts punching the target portion, while detection of objects approaching the target portion, i.e. the athletes' hands with boxing gloves on, is being done via the video camera 21 in the device. The device control unit's exercising program control module 16 receives information on such objects, assesses the positional relationship between the objects and the target portion 4, and, where any substantial approach occurs, the control unit generates a setting signal for a motor to displace the target portion such that it fully or partially avoids being accurately punched. An exercising effect for an athlete from using the described exercising method consists in that the target portion avoiding punches encourages the athlete to deliver more rapid and more covert punches, the athlete being able, unlike when exercising with a real sparring partner, to deliver punches at full capacity without having to restrain the ultimate punching force out of fear to inflict an injury to his/her sparring partner.

However, where the speed of the device responses is constant throughout an exercising session, this will mean a substantial difference from a real fight condition, and such difference may substantially reduce the exercising efficiency. For example, if the device response time is always quite small for the target portion to successfully avoid punches even when high-class athletes are exercising, the exercising is of low efficiency which is an important demotivating factor for athletes. Accordingly, the second embodiment of the present method is implemented using the device with said supplement configured as a dynamic characteristic adjusting module 20 (FIG. 3) included in the device control unit. Such module may be configured as either hardware, or software, and enables adjusting one or several parameters simultaneously, such as bandwidth, control circuit response time, movable article 3 (FIG. 1) motion speed and acceleration range being used. To this end, an additional delay may further be introduced between the time of moving object detection and that of generation by the control module 11 of a setting signal to displace the target portion 4 to a new position. By varying any of said parameters, the resulting time of the device response to moving objects approaching the target portion may be adjusted with adequate efficiency, thus enabling to dramatically improve the exercising process and to increase the exercising efficiency through a substantial increase in the quality of simulating a fight with a real opponent.

Examples of adjustment of the device's dynamic characteristic when implementing the second embodiment of the present exercising method are illustrated by the diagrams in FIG. 6. Therein, the value L on the ordinate represents a current value of the distance between the target portion and an external object, the value A representing a current value of the movable article 3 swinging angle. Initially, the target portion is in a position dictated by the initial value A1 of the movable article swinging angle. When an external object is detected at time t0, the control unit assesses the distance between the detected object and the target portion, represented as L0 in the shown diagram. Then, the control unit detects, with a certain timing frequency, new positions of the object relative to the target portion and, during the time intervals between readings, approximates changes in the distance between them (Curve 28 in FIG. 6). In response to a critical approach of the object to the target portion, i.e. to the distance between them shortening below the L1 value, at time t1 the control unit generates a setting signal to displace the target portion to a new position corresponding to the movable article swinging angle A2.

Curves 29, 30, 31, and 32 in FIG. 6 illustrate various possible patterns to displace the target portion to a new position with various response times of the device dictated by the dynamic characteristics of the latter, including with the control circuit bandwidth variations and where an additional delay is introduced into the control signal circuit. As such, Curve 29 shows a pattern of the movable article swinging angle variation when the target portion is displaced to a new position for a case with a broad control circuit bandwidth and a zero additional signal delay. Herein, target portion displacement to a new position is relatively rapid and may be deemed to have occurred at time t2 (such displacement may be deemed to have occurred, if the movable article swinging angle value A reaches a 90% of the remainder A2-A1). Curve 30 corresponds to a control circuit bandwidth narrower than that of Curve 29 (also without the additional signal delay) and illustrates a slower movable article swinging angle variation pattern when the target portion is displaced to a new position. Herein, the target portion displacement to a new position may be deemed to have occurred at a later time t3. Curves 31, 32 show a movable article swinging angle variation pattern when the target portion is displaced to a new position with a wide and a narrow control circuit bandwidths, respectively, with an additional signal delay for the amount Tdel.

It should be noted that the capability to adjust the device response time by varying such parameters as the control circuit bandwidth and an additional delay of the control signal provides a further technical result consisting in the capability of simulating, during exercising sessions, not only the various times of opponents' responses, but also a variety of their motion styles. As such, a wide control circuit bandwidth and response time adjustment by varying the additional delay time correspond to simulated style of athletes featuring more abrupt motions when dodging, as is normally characteristic of lighter weight athletes. A narrower control circuit bandwidth corresponds to simulated style of athletes featuring less abrupt and more continuous motions, as is normally characteristic of heavier weight athletes.

It should also be noted that an impact on the device response time and the target portion motion pattern similar to that provided by varying the control circuit bandwidth, may also be provided by directly setting the target portion speed and/or acceleration to their maximum values, which may be done via hardware or software implementation.

By using the second embodiment of the exercising method, at once several new capabilities are created to improve the interactive exercising efficiency.

For example, where an athlete fails to successfully punch the target portion, by varying one or at once several of said parameters, the device response time may be extended. If, after a while, the athlete achieves success with an adequate frequency, the device response time may be reduced back, as the task assigned to the athlete may be made complex again, but now, after having succeeded with previous settings of the device, the athlete is much more motivated and, above all, has a better understanding of what is to be changed in his/her punching technique to achieve higher speed and efficiency.

Furthermore, by randomized adjustment of the device response time, i.e. by varying it randomly or pseudo-randomly, exercising may provide a further useful effect consisting in the capability to practice retaining by an athlete of a stable balance when delivering punches. Herein, with the device response time being varied in a substantial range, and since the athlete does not know in advance what will be the speed of the target portion response to his/her punch, the athlete's punching technique has to be specifically adapted. In one instance, where the device response is slow and the punch will hit the target portion, the task that faces the athlete is that his/her punch is to be sufficiently strong, to which end the athlete body energy has to be put into the punch. Else, where the device response is sufficiently rapid and the target portion has time to avoid a punch, the athlete, despite his/her body energy put into the punch, has to know how to keep correct balance, not to lose equilibrium, and to recover his/her correct initial stance. It is important due to that, if an athlete loses balance after a miss, e.g. in the event of a forward ‘tilting’ of the trunk, the athlete may be efficiently attacked with one or a pack of counter punches during a real fight. Such situation is known to frequently occur during fights in such sports as boxing. The described exercising method dramatically improves the exercising efficiency, as it simulates practicing with a real opponent whose response speed may largely vary throughout a fight. Herein, what is being practiced are not only the rapid and strong punching skills, but also the skill of retaining balance and reliable stance, which is vital for athletes in any situation, including after misses.

Still further potential for exercising efficiency improvement by adjusting the device's dynamic characteristics is opened by making use of a capability to simulate the opponent fatigue build-up or, conversely, recuperation. To simulate the opponent fatigue build-up, the device average response time is extended, while to simulate the opponent recuperation, the device average response time is reduced. The device response time may be so adjusted taking into account the intensity of the athlete's actions, e.g. where the athlete increases the frequency of punching attempts, and/or their effectiveness is improved, the device average response time may be extended, while with less intensive and/or effective performance of the athlete the device average response time may be reduced. After successive and sufficiently strong punches delivered by the athlete to the target portion, the device response time may also be extended for a certain period of time. Furthermore, where an athlete punches the target portion with sufficient force, a knockdown or a knockout may be simulated, to which end the device response time may be extended for a substantial amount and for a fairly lengthy period of time, such that the device substantially ceases to respond to the athlete's actions.

By adjusting the target portion displacement dynamic characteristics as described, the exercising efficiency is substantially increased due a more true simulation of practicing with a real opponent and due to the resulting dramatic increase in the athlete's motivation for extremely active practicing during an exercising session in order to obtain a reward in the form of a tired ‘opponent’ missing individual punches and packs of punches more frequently.

A further technical result of adjusting the target portion displacement dynamic characteristics is that it enables simulation of opponents both with various speed conditions, and, as noted above, with various motion styles during a sports fight.

Implementation of the method for interactive exercising may further include, in addition to the target portion avoiding the detected moving objects, a mode wherein the movement path of such objects is estimated and the target portion is displaced towards their estimated movement path. Such mode may be used to create a variety of gaming activities in such sports as football or hockey. Herein, adjusting the system response time by adjusting the target portion's dynamic characteristics or introducing an additional time delay into the control circuit also provide the technical result of increasing the exercising efficiency through a substantial increase in the quality of simulating interactions with a real opponent and a capability to widely vary both the level of the opponent's physical conditions and the pattern (style) of his/her motions.

It was an object of implementing the described exercising method to achieve a range of the device response time adjustment wide enough to span the response time range specific to athletes. As is known, the time of simple motor response to a visual stimulus in ordinary (untrained) people is from 230 to 350 milliseconds, while in trained athletes, e.g. boxers or martial artists it may be 150 milliseconds. To achieve a sufficiently small value of the system response time, the means used for detecting objects approaching the target portion was a high-speed video camera with a frame refresh rate of 500 Hz, which, in combination with a powerful 4 kW electric drive setting the movable article with the target portion in motion, provided for achieving a minimum delay of less than 10 milliseconds between commencement of an object movement towards the target portion and commencement of the target portion motion. Total time, required for the system to displace the target portion such that it avoids a punch or such that it takes a position on the moving object estimated path, was less than 70 milliseconds. Dynamic characteristics of the control unit were adjusted using the techniques described above, specifically—adjusting the control signal circuit bandwidth, introducing an additional delay in the control circuit, restricting the movable article motion maximum speed and acceleration. It enabled not only to adjust, in a wide range, the resultant effective time of the system response (e.g. the time required for the system to displace the target portion such that it avoids a punch was adjusted within the range from 70 milliseconds to 500 milliseconds), but also simulate various patterns (styles) of the target portion motion by setting various combinations of said parameters.

A second embodiment of a device for implementing the present embodiments of the method for interactive exercising may be as follows. The device is schematically shown in FIG. 7.

The device comprises: a common base 1 (FIG. 7) with a first electric motor 2 mounted on it and a movable base 33 mounted on an axle 5 arranged horizontally or at an angle relative to horizon. A shaft 6 of the first electric motor 2 is coupled to the movable base via a mechanical transmission, specifically—via pulleys 7, 9 and a drive belt 8.

Further disposed on the movable base 33 are a second electric motor 34 and a movable article 3 mounted on the movable base via an axle 35. The movable article 3 has secured, at its one end, a target portion 4 to be punched, configured as a boxing bag. The movable article 3 is coupled to the second motor's shaft via a mechanical transmission including pulleys 36, 37 and a drive belt 38.

It should also be noted that horizontal arrangement of the axle 5 is optimal, since any horizontal deviation of the axle 5 results in a reduction of the target portion 4 displacement range.

The device further has a target portion position sensing means configured as two swinging angle sensors (encoders) 10, 39 mounted on the movable base 33 axle 5 and the movable article 3 axle 35, respectively. The device has a control unit 11 to which the sensors (encoders) 10, 39, and the first 2 and second 34 electric motors are connected.

As in the first embodiment of the present invention, the device is furnished with an impact sensor 12 connected to a control unit 11 and mounted on the target portion 4, an exercising mode input device 13 configured, for example, as a keyboard, an exercise result display means 14 configured as a display, and a sound reproduction means 15.

It should also be noted that other components performing said functions may be used to implement the described device. As such, the target portion position sensing means, instead of two encoders 10, 39 mounted on the axles 5 and 35, may be configured as two single-axis inertial sensors or one dual-axis inertial sensor (an accelerometer or a gyroscope transmitter, or a combination thereof) mounted directly on the movable article 3 and generating output signals corresponding to the angles of movable article swinging about the axles 5 and 35.

The control unit 11 as implemented in the second embodiment of the present device (diagram in FIG. 8) differs from the control unit in the first embodiment of the devices in the following. Since in this embodiment of the device two electric motors are controlled, the control unit 11 is further configured with a second PID controller 40 and a second power module 41. In this embodiment, the angle setting generation module 17 is configured as dual-channel type, i.e. it includes two outputs and, accordingly, provides generation of settings for two angles of the movable article 3 swinging: the angle of swinging about axle 5 and that about axle 35. An additional output from the module 17 is connected to an input at the second PID controller 40, the feedback input at the PID controller 40 is connected to the swinging angle sensor (encoder) 39, and the PID controller 40 output is connected to an input of a power module 41 having its output connected to the electric motor 34.

It should be noted that, as in the first embodiment of the device, the PID controllers are employed in the device optionally; however, their availability enables achieving better transient response in controlling the device.

Both embodiments of the claimed method for interactive exercising may be implemented in using the second embodiment of the claimed device for interactive exercising as follows.

The first embodiment of the present method for interactive exercising is implemented to use the second embodiment of the present device in a manner altogether similar to that described above for the first embodiment of the device. Specifically, an athlete attempts punching the target portion, while the device provides motions of the target portion 4 (FIG. 7) in the form of a sequence of forced periodic, and/or damped, and/or aperiodic oscillations, characteristics of the oscillations being adjusted during an exercising session. Furthermore, the impact sensor 12 is used to register the target portion hits, while the exercising progress and results are displayed via the display 14. Key difference from exercising with the first embodiment of the present device consists in that the second embodiment of the device in its basic configuration is designed such that the target portion 4 may be displaced and oscillated in any directions superposing the target portion displacements in two mutually perpendicular directions. One of such target portion displacements is done when the movable base 33 is rotated about the axle 5 and is provided by the first electric motor 2. A second displacement of the target portion is done in a perpendicular direction when the movable article 3 is rotated about the axle 35 and is provided by the second electric motor 34. The total displacement of the target portion caused by action of the two electric motors in the present device may be described as a vector sum (or superposition) of the target portion displacements in two mutually perpendicular directions.

The exercising method implementation includes displacement of the target portion, same as where the method is implemented with the first embodiment of the device, in the form of a sequence of various oscillations; however, in this case, the exercising capabilities are substantially expanded, since such oscillations may be produced in a large variety of the target portion motion directions and motion path types. For example, the target portion motions may be rectilinear in any randomly selected direction, or they be circular, or may follow any more complex random path. An arbitrary path of the target portion motion when oscillated may be set in the device control module 11 by merely performing a standard operation of the required vector decomposition into two mutually perpendicular components, after which the control module, or rather the angle setting generation module 17 (FIG. 8) generates a setting signal for each of the two electric motors 2, 34.

When exercising with the second embodiment of the present device, a primary advantage over the closest prior art and the first embodiment of the present device is the capability to simulate independent motions of a sparring partner in the left/right and back/forth direction with respect to the trainee (in boxing, this is used primarily when dodging direct punches), in the back/forth direction (in boxing, this is used primarily when dodging hooks), and motions in any random direction. Herein, unlike the closest prior art described above, the target portion 4 motion in a random direction does not require the movable article to be previously rotated to a certain angle, due to which the motion in a set direction is done immediately upon the issue of setting signals for the two electric motors. Said advantages provide a substantially greater variability of the target portion motions, thus increasing the exercising efficiency.

The second embodiment of the present method for interactive exercising with the use of the second embodiment of the present device is also implemented using said supplement in the form of a device for detecting objects approaching the target portion connected to an additional input of the device control unit 11. To this end, as mentioned above, a video camera may be employed, for example, the control unit 11 having to be furnished with necessary software. Various types of approach sensors may also be used to this end.

Exercising in accordance with the second embodiment of the present exercising method with the use of the device configured according to the second embodiment is done in a manner altogether similar to using the first embodiment of the device. Specifically, when an athlete attempts to punch the target portion 4, the device detects moving objects (e.g. the athlete's gloved hands) and displaces the target portion to a new position such as to make it more difficult for the athlete to hit the target portion. Herein, the effective time of the device response as required to displace the target portion 4 to a new position is being adjusted during the exercising session. This is different from exercising with the first embodiment of the device in that herein, when the device responds to the appearance of moving objects, there are wider capabilities in terms of the target portion displacement variability, as the second embodiment of the device provides for the movable article motion to be controlled independently along two axes. This enables simulation of dodges in the left/right direction with respect to the trainee, in the back/forth direction with respect to the trainee, as well as motion in any random direction being a superposition of such displacements. Such capability further improves the quality of simulating an exercising session with a real sparring partner, thereby facilitating the accomplishment of a technical result consisting in further increase in the exercising efficiency.

It should be noted that, like in the first embodiment of the present device, exercising with the second of embodiment of the device may also include the use of all supplements to both the present exercising method and the device for implementing thereof as described above and represented in the claims. Each of said supplements provides certain additional exercising capabilities, thus further contributing to the accomplishment of the technical result consisting in an increased efficiency of interactive exercising.

It should also be noted that, in implementing the invention, each of the embodiments of the present method for interactive exercising may be employed either separately, or in combination, i.e. they may be implemented jointly, as each of the embodiments of the present method represents a certain aspect of simulating actions of a real sparring partner. While implementation of the first embodiment of the present method includes simulating fakes of a real athlete, which, as noted above, do not normally constitute a direct response to punching attempts made by a trainee, then implementation of the second embodiment of the present method include dodges made to avoid punches being delivered. Practical implementation of the embodiments of the present method for interactive exercising demonstrated that joint implementation of the two embodiments of the method is not only possible, but also enables achieving the best quality in simulating actions of a real sparring partner, thus providing the maximum efficiency of interactive exercising. 

1. A method for interactive exercising, comprising: performing punches to a target portion or throws of throwing implements to a target portion by an athlete; and producing forced oscillations of the target portion by setting the target portion in motion via at least one drive; and determining whether the target portion is hit via at least one sensor, wherein forced oscillations of the target portion are produced in the form of a sequence of forced oscillations of various kinds: periodic, and/or damped, and/or aperiodic, the mode of the target portion oscillations being adjusted immediately during an exercising session by varying the oscillation parameters: period, and/or amplitude, and/or damping factor, and/or central position about which the oscillations are produced.
 2. The method for interactive exercising of claim 1, wherein: variations of said target portion oscillation parameters are done randomly or pseudo-randomly.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said target portion oscillation parameters are varied subject to the target portion hit detection results, and more specifically, in response to detecting more frequent target portion hits, the average oscillation period is reduced, and/or average amplitudes are increased, and/or central position variations are increased, while in response to detecting rarer target portion hits, the average oscillation period is increased, and/or average amplitudes are reduced, and or central position variations are reduced, respectively.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target portion is forced to oscillate independently in the direction left/right and in the direction back/forth relatively to the trainee.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target portion forced oscillation sequence is generated and their parameters are varied programmably.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target portion forced oscillation sequence is generated and their parameters are varied by a trainee's sparring partner via a remote control.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the target portion forced oscillation sequence is generated and their parameters are varied by simulating the trainee's sparring partner trunk motion whose position is detected by at least one sensor.
 8. A method for interactive exercising, comprising: performing punches to a target portion or throws of throwing implements to a target portion by an athlete; and detecting moving objects approaching the target portion by at least one available sensor; and displacing or swinging the target portion by at least one available drive, wherein exercising complexity is set by adjusting the system response time via adjustment of the target portion displacement dynamic characteristics, and/or the time delay between detection of an object approaching the target portion and commencement of the target portion displacement.
 9. The method for interactive exercising of claim 8, wherein: positional relationship of the moving objects and the target portion is determined, said displacement of the target portion being performed such that it fully or partially avoids the moving objects.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein, when any objects approaching the target portion are detected, movement path of such objects is estimated, said displacement of the target portion being done towards the estimated movement path of the objects.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said adjustment of the system response time is done randomly or pseudo-randomly immediately during an exercising session.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein said adjustment of the system response time includes simulation of the opponent fatigue build-up and/or recuperation by respectively extending and/or reducing the average system response time.
 13. A device for interactive exercising, comprising: a base, a motor mounted on the base, a movable article mechanically coupled to the motor shaft, swingingly mounted and having, secured at its one side, a target portion to be punched or thrown at, a movable article swinging angle sensor, a control unit connected to said swinging angle sensor and to the motor, a target portion impact sensor connected to said control unit, a device for exercising mode input, including its complexity setting, an exercise result display means, wherein the control unit comprises a movable article swinging angle setting generation module to generate a sequence of periodic, damped or aperiodic signals, configured to adjust the frequency of such signal repetition, signal oscillation period and amplitude, and their damping factor (their damping rate).
 14. The device for interactive exercising of claim 13, wherein the control unit further includes a PID controller connected to an output of the movable article swinging angle setting generation module and having its feedback input connected to the target portion position sensing means.
 15. The device of claim 13, wherein the device control unit further includes a module for adjusting the device's dynamic characteristics, including its bandwidth, and/or control circuit response time, and/or acceleration range, and/or movable article rotational motion speed.
 16. The device of claim 13, wherein it further includes a target portion approaching object detector, connected to an additional input at the control unit, the control unit being configured such as to estimate the positional relationship between said objects and the target portion and to generate the movable article swinging angle setting signals so as to provide for the target portion to fully or partially avoid being hit by the detected moving objects by varying the system response time.
 17. The device of claim 13, wherein it further includes a target portion approaching object detector connected to an additional input at the control unit, the control unit being configured such as to estimate said objects' movement path with respect to the target portion and to generate the movable article swinging angle setting signals such as to provide for the target portion displacement towards the objects' estimated path.
 18. The device of claim 13, wherein it is further configured so as to provide for the target portion vertical displacement by configuring the movable article from two portions longitudinally displaceable with respect to each other, one portion of the movable article being coupled to the base and the other portion of the movable article having the target portion disposed on it, an additional motor being disposed on the base and coupled, via a mechanical transmission, to the movable article portion on which the target portion is secured, the device control unit further including a module for generating signals to set the amount of displacement of the movable article's two portions with respect to each other, and the control unit power module including an additional output connected to said additional motor.
 19. The device of claim 13, wherein it further includes a discrete or analogous input device with an output connected to an additional input of the control unit, the device control unit providing for movable article swinging angle setting signal generation in function of the input device control member position.
 20. The device of claim 13, wherein it further includes a means for detecting the trainee's sparring partner position or his/her trunk swings, e.g. a video camera with appropriate hardware and software, the control unit being configured such as to provide movable article swinging angle setting signal generation in function of the trainee's sparring partner position or his/her trunk swings.
 21. A device for interactive exercising, comprising: a fixedly mounted first motor, a movable base mechanically coupled to the first motor shaft, a second motor mounted on the movable base, a movable article mechanically coupled to the second motor shaft, swingingly mounted and having, secured at its one side, a target portion to be punched or thrown at, a target portion position sensing means, a control unit connected to the target portion position sensing means, and to both the first and the second motors, wherein said movable base is disposed on a horizontal or slant axle, each of the mechanical coupling between the movable base and the first motor shaft and mechanical coupling between the movable article and the second motor shaft is provided either directly, or via a mechanical transmission.
 22. The device for interactive exercising of claim 21, wherein the device further has the following connected to the control unit: an impact sensor disposed on the target portion or movable article, a device for exercising mode input, including its complexity setting, an exercise result display means.
 23. The device of claim 21, wherein it is further configured so as to provide for the target portion vertical displacement by configuring the movable article from two portions longitudinally displaceable with respect to each other, one portion of the movable article being coupled to the movable base and the other portion of the movable article having the target portion disposed on it, an additional motor being disposed on the movable base and having its shaft coupled, via a mechanical transmission, to the movable article portion on which the target portion is secured, and the control unit having a target portion vertical displacement control module with an outlet for connecting an additional motor.
 24. The device of claim 21, wherein it further includes a target portion approaching object detector connected to the control unit, the control unit being configured such as to estimate the positional relationship between said objects and the target portion and to control the target portion motion so as to provide for the target portion to fully or partially avoid being hit by the detected moving objects.
 25. The device of claim 21, wherein it further includes a target portion approaching object detector connected to the control unit, the control unit being configured such as to determine the objects' velocity vector direction and to classify the direction as either direct or lateral with respect to the target portion's current position, the target portion being displaced preferably backwards with the respect to the trainee, where the direction is determined to be lateral.
 26. The device of claim 21, wherein it further includes a target portion approaching object detector connected to the control unit, the control unit being configured such as to estimate said objects' movement path with respect to the target portion and to move the target portion so as to provide for the target portion displacement towards the objects' estimated path.
 27. The device of claim 21, wherein it further includes a discrete or analogous input device connected to the control unit, the device control unit being configured such as to generate the first and second motor control signals so as to provide for the target portion displacement in function of the input device control member position.
 28. The device of claim 21, wherein it further includes a means connected to the control unit for detecting the trainee's sparring partner trunk swings or his/her position, the control unit being configured such as to generate the first and second motor control signals so as to provide for the target portion displacement in function of the trainee's sparring partner trunk swings and/or his/her position. 